Lip Shapes: Understanding and Enhancing Your Natural Beauty

Introduction

The shape of our lips is a unique and defining feature of our faces. Whether you have full, thin, or somewhere- in-between lips, your lips significantly affect your overall appearance. In this blog, we will explore different lip shapes and their characteristics and provide tips on enhancing or changing them.

What is the most attractive lip shape?

The components of lip shape include the ratio between the upper and lower lips, the size of the lips, and their natural shape. So let’s look at that a bit closer:

The ideal lip ratio

The ideal lip shape consists of a larger bottom lip, which accounts for approximately two-thirds of the total size. The top lip, on the other hand, is slightly smaller and makes up the remaining one-third. This can be different for people of Asian or African origin.

The ideal lip shape

Maintaining the natural shape of your lips is indeed important for several reasons. First, your natural lip shape is unique and contributes to your overall appearance and individuality. Embracing your natural lip shape can help you feel more confident and comfortable in your skin.

The size of your lips

Many younger women prefer plumper and fuller lips because they consider it a desirable beauty trend. However, it is important to exercise caution and not overdo it when enhancing lip size.

Well-defined natural lip lines

The border between the red lip and the surrounding skin can become less defined as we age. This can result in losing natural lip lines and a less youthful appearance. However, lip filler can help restore the natural lip lines and create a more defined border between the lips and the skin.

Why do my lips look uneven?

Having imbalanced lips is entirely common for people. Perfect symmetry is rare in human anatomy. Small differences in lip size, shape, or position are often not noticeable and can add character to your face. But sometimes, this can be more obvious and become bothersome.

Dr Nadja Haub says:

Many people have uneven lips, and for some, this can be bothersome. When we develop inside the womb, the lips, consisting of two halves, fuse in the middle. The two halves are not the same and can look slightly different. Luckily, lip filler can correct this imbalance.

The lips fuse when we are inside the womb.

Lips are often uneven because, during our fetal development, the upper and lower lips fuse. This fusion process in the womb shapes the lip. This includes forming the philtrum, cupid’s bow, and the dent in the lower lip.

Small differences in lip size, shape, or position are normal and make each person look different. Embracing and enhancing your natural lip shape can help you feel confident and comfortable in your skin.

Typical problems with the lip shape

• One side of the lip looks bigger or smaller compared to the other side of the lip
• The cupid bow at the centre of the upper lip looks uneven
• The top and bottom lips do not have the correct ratio
• The lower lip has got a dent in the middle that looks too deep
• The natural lip lines look less defined

Areas of the Lip to Place The Lip Filler

We strategically inject the lip filler into specific areas of the lips to correct an uneven lip shape. To do this, the doctor will carefully analyze your lips and determine the best placement for the filler. Common areas for lip filler placement include:

1. Uneven Lip Size:

If one side of your lip appears larger or smaller than the other, the doctor will use lip filler to correct this. Typically, we need to inject a little bit more lip filler into the smaller side of the lip. This will help to bring both sides to the same size and create symmetry.

2. Cupid’s Bow:

The cupid’s bow is the V-shaped curve in the middle of the upper lip. The expert can use lip filler to improve and define an uneven part. This will make it look more balanced and attractive.

3. Philtrum:

The philtrum is the vertical groove that extends from the base of the nose to the cupid’s bow. Sometimes, the philtrum is shallow or lacks definition. The professional can inject a small amount of lip filler to add volume and contour to this area.

4. Lower Lip Dent:

Some people may have a dent or depression in their lower lip. This is a normal appearance of the lip because the lower lip fuses when we are inside the womb. But sometimes, this can be too deep and contribute to an uneven lip shape. You can use lip filler to fill in this dent and create a smoother, more even appearance.

Example of an unnatural-looking lips after lip filler

This photo shows how a lip can look unnatural. The reasons for this are:

• Too much lip filler. This woman had more than 1 ml thicker, highly lifting filler.
• The upper and lower lip ratio is more than one-third to two-thirds. This makes it look unnatural.
• The lower lip does not have a middle dent, making it look unnatural.

Why can lips look unnatural after lip filler?

Lips can sometimes look unnatural after lip filler due to several reasons. You must choose a skilled and well-trained medical professional with detailed lip anatomy and shape knowledge.

Too much lip filler

Injecting too much filler is a common reason for unnatural-looking lips. For most people, just 1 ml of lip filler is enough to enhance the lip. Injecting more than 1 ml often looks overfilled or unnatural.

The natural shape of the lip

Another reason is improper filler placement. The doctor or nurse who injects the lip filler has to have in-depth knowledge of the anatomy and development of the lip. This allows an expert to follow and enhance the lip’s natural shape while injecting. If you change the lip shape, it can look unnatural.

The type of lip filler

Using the wrong lip filler can make your lips look unnatural. When choosing a filler, consider its texture and consistency. A lip filler that is stretchy and flexible will allow for natural movement and mimic the texture of the lips. On the other hand, if the filler is too thick or rigid, it can result in an unnatural appearance.

A flexible lip filler that moves naturally with the lip is best for a natural-looking outcome. Most doctors use hyaluronic acid fillers for lip augmentation because they offer natural-looking results and are temporary. These fillers have a gel-like consistency that allows them to blend seamlessly with the lips and move naturally. Some of the most popular lip fillers are Belotero, Teoxane RH2 and RH 3 and Stylage Lips.

Choose the right professional to correct your lip shape.

Talking to a knowledgeable doctor who knows much about lips and their appearance is important. They will be able to choose the right type of filler and properly place it to enhance the natural shape of your lips. By following the natural contours of your lips, the filler can create a more balanced and attractive appearance.

Dr. Nadja Haub can analyze lips and decide where lip filler is placed. By following the lip’s natural shape, she can create a more balanced and attractive appearance. Consult with Dr. Nadja Haub to choose the right lip filler and place it correctly for a natural result.

Dr Nadja Haub answers questions about lip shapes and many other cosmetic problems on Realself.com.